The Junior Coach Program is Playworks’ youth leadership program for 4th-8th graders to serve as peer role models helping create and sustain an inclusive, joyful, and engaging school culture, both on and off the playground.

Playworks Junior Coaches can be found in nearly every Playworks MN partner school and they all share a common objective: fostering a safe, engaging, and empowering recess experience for all kids. Junior Coaches engage in a school year long program learning leadership skills through monthly trainings and putting those skills into practice on the playground every week.

Through monthly leadership development trainings, Junior Coaches learn skills like responsibility, teamwork, communication, and conflict resolution. On the playground, these skills are put to the test as Junior Coaches:

• Facilitate engaging recess games and activities 
• Model positive encouraging communication for younger students
• Assist recess supervisors with transitions to and from recess
• Help kids cool down and get ready to return to class
• Solve small peer to peer conflicts and disagreements
• Ensure all kids are included in play and have an opportunity to play every day

“Our junior coaches … confidently organize games, play with students one-on-one, and are leading recess. On average, the attendance rate of our junior coaches is above 90% with nearly the entire group on track to finish the year above 95%. Our students are serious about leadership, and they show up for it.”

-23/24 Playworks MN Partner School Principal

By the Numbers: MN Junior Coach Program

“The Junior Coach program has had a big impact on recess and our school. Incidents of behavior at recess dropped from 209 last year to 99 this year and large incidents like physical altercations dropped from 127 to 59. “

-23/24 Playworks MN Partner School Principal